Warm Chickpea Salad with Zucchini Linguini

I’ve written before about how the texture of foods is sometimes as important as the taste and I’m finding more and more that I will eat certain foods more often if I prepare them a certain way versus another. One of these foods is zucchini. For years I’ve been eating it sliced or chopped in ratatouille or stir fries and I’ve been fine with it, but lately this is another vegetable that I’ve been playing with when I eat. For example, if I’m having it in salads, I will shred it and pile it on top or even mix it into grain dishes at the very end to give it a quick steaming.

The recipe below uses a method that many raw food enthusiasts use for making zucchini spaghetti, except it’s not made with a vegetable spiraler that is often used. It’s prepared with a vegetable peeler. It takes only a few short minutes to peel your way through a zucchini this way. I’ve tried two different peelers with different results. One produces very thin strips and the other slices them thicker.

Either way, the warm chickpea salad will lightly steam the zucchini when it’s piled on top, which will soften even the thicker strips. And if you’d rather not sauté the vegetables, simply mix the chickpea salad together raw and combine it with the zucchini that way.

You can also make extra chickpea salad and freshly peel additional linguini at your next meal; it really is a quick process. And maybe it sounds crazy, but for me, it’s more satisfying experiencing the zucchini as pasta rather than vegetable chunks–without all the side effects of starchy pasta!

1 T grapeseed oil

1 medium red onion, diced

2 ribs celery, trimmed and diced

1 large zucchini, washed and partially peeled

2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

fresh lemon juice

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

fresh parsley, chopped

fresh or dried basil and/or oregano

sea salt and ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

2 - 3 large leaves of kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped small (optional)

freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven, then add the onion and celery and sauté until soft, ~5 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, peel long strips of zucchini. Place the strips in a bowl and gently toss with ~1T lemon and/or balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper to taste.

When the onions and celery are soft, add the chickpeas basil and/or oregano, lemon juice and/or balsamic vinegar, and sea salt and pepper to taste. Allow the chickpeas to heat through.

Add the garlic and kale to the skillet and mix until the kale wilts (if adding).

Plate some of the zucchini linguini onto plates and top with the chickpeas. Top with cheese if desired or additional fresh parsley.

Chickpea and Lentil Chili

I wasn’t paying attention to what the weather would be today when I decided to try something different for a vegetarian chili recipe. But the heavy, Autumn rain is a perfect match for a dish like this. I actually had it simmering on the stove by mid morning and the aroma was almost too much to handle!

This recipe is a variation on the vegetarian recipes that often call for pinto, red, and/or black beans. I’ve replaced them with lentils, seen above. I’ve included this picture because I marvel at how pretty they really are! They remind me of the stones that I saw at the edge of the ocean in Northern California. Just thought I’d share that. : )

Back to the chili, I’ve also kept the chickpeas (and I've explained their amazing health benefits here) and added lots of vegetables, including cauliflower, mushrooms, and greens.

The cauliflower, lentils, and mushrooms give this dish a texture that is surprisingly like a meat-based chili and you won’t even miss the meat! I think almost any vegetable you have on hand will work well in this dish. I also feel that good quality spices are really important. I used a smoked, Hungarian paprika here and a nice chili powder. Start off on the low side when adding the spices then add more to taste.

In addition, because I try to use canned foods as little as possible, when not using fresh tomatoes, I’ve switched to tomato products in tetra-pak containers. I’ve seen them at many of the major grocers in this area.

This would make a very hearty meal over brown rice or quinoa and can be garnished with traditional sour cream, chives, and cheese, or even cashews.

Chickpea and Lentil Chili

1 – 2 T grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, chopped small

2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped small

2 stalks celery, sliced lengthwise and chopped

8 oz. mushrooms, chopped

½ head cauliflower, chopped into small pieces

2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t dried oregano

2-4 T chili powder

2 T paprika

1 T cumin

½ t cayenne pepper

1 t black pepper

1 t sea salt

~2 c vegetable broth, simmering

1 12 oz. bottle dark beer, at room temperature (optional)

1 c lentils, soaked overnight and rinsed

3 c chickpeas, soaked overnight and rinsed, divided

2 large tomatoes, chopped small

3 c tomato puree or strained tomatoes

2 c chopped fresh green, such as spinach or kale

cooked brown rice

shredded Monterey jack, cheddar, or other cheese, or

cashews

1. Heat the oil on medium in a large pot. Add the onion and saute until they become translucent.

2. Add the peppers and celery and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms and spices and cook briefly.

4. Add the hot vegetable broth, beer, lentils, 2 cups of chickpeas, tomatoes, and puree.

5. In a blender, blend the remaining 1-cup of chickpeas with just enough water or vegetable broth to cover. Add the puree to the pot.

6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes cook down.

7. A few minutes before the end of cooking, add the chopped greens. If adding spinach, add about 5 minutes before serving. If adding kale, allow a few more minutes for it to wilt.

8. Serve over brown rice and garnish as desired.

The Mighty Chickpea in a Twist on Hummus

Hummus. You’ve probably had it as a savory, garlicky dip with veggies or pita bread, or maybe on a sandwich. I recently discovered some different recipes for hummus that put a whole new twist on ground chickpeas. For example, would you ever think of them as a desert food? I never did but I would certainly enjoy the Chocolate Hummus below with fruit as an after dinner treat or snack.

The foundation of traditional hummus is the mighty chickpea. It’s high in fiber, protein, complex carbs and even provides omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. It’s also a good source of folate, thiamin and vitamin B6 and is chock full of minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. As I’m reading this nutrition data, I’m thinking to myself, “Wow, I need to eat more of these!!” Other great ways to get them into your diet is roasted, in soups, and in salads.

The original recipes called for canned chickpeas and pumpkin. I soaked raw chickpeas in fresh water for several hours, then changed the water and simmered them on the stove for about 30 minutes. While this was going, I roasted a sugar pumpkin in the oven. I describe how to do it here. I also added pumpkin seeds to this recipe, replaced sugar with honey or maple syrup in the first recipe, used chai or hemp milk as liquids, and added dark chocolate to the third recipe. In short, I tried to add to the nutritional value while not sacrificing on taste.

The recipes below are healthy ideas for after-school snacks, lunch, and even appetizers or desert for the upcoming holiday gatherings. They can be paired with fruit, veggies, pita bread or crackers. Apples or banana slices dipped in chocolate hummus would make a great after-school snack. This would also make a great filling for buckwheat crepes. Apple pie or pumpkin hummus would make a nice spread for veggie wraps as well or on whole grain toast. And then of course, there’s always the spoon… : )

Apple Pie Hummus (adapted from this recipe)

1.5 c cooked chickpeas

1 large or two small-med, sweet apples, peeled, seeded and chopped

¼ c fresh lemon juice

¼ c tahini or nut butter

1 T sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc.)

½ t sea salt

½ t apple pie spice or a combination of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, etc.)

~3 T water (I actually used chai tea that I had brewing)

Pumpkin Hummus (adapted from this recipe)

1.5 c cooked chickpeas

1 c fresh roasted pumpkin

¼ c hulled pumpkin seeds (soaked and drained beforehand)

¼ c tahini

1 T cumin

¼ c lemon juice

½ t sea salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

water (or juice from the roasted pumpkin!)

Chocolate Hummus (adapted from this recipe)

1.5 c cooked chickpeas

2 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 oz dark chocolate, chopped

¼ c honey or other natural sweetener

2 T tahini or nut butter

2 T vanilla

~ 3 T hemp milk or water

For each recipe above, add all ingredients except the liquid (last ingredient) into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add liquid a little at a time until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust the spices, sweetener and/or salt to taste. You may also want more lemon juice in the Pumpkin or Apple Pie recipes. I tend to go for more versus less.